Background: Changes in T2 relaxation time (T2-TR) and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) have been suggested to appear in the intervertebral disc before morphological changes. Such sensitive imaging methods could be beneficial in the targeting and follow-up of intradiscal gene therapy. Purpose: To investigate the sensitivity of quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging methods (T2-TR and ADC) in early disc degeneration, using an experimental porcine intervertebral disc injury model, and to investigate their sensitivity in depicting biochemically controlled degenerative changes in the disc. Material and Methods: Six juvenile pigs underwent experimental annular stab incisions, one superficial and one reaching the nucleus pulposus. The animals underwent repeated 1.5T MR imaging and were sacrificed 4 or 8 weeks after operation. Presence of degenerative changes was controlled with biochemical analysis. Results: Discs with full-thickness annular incisions lost 30% of their sagittal mid-slice nucleus pulposus area in 2 weeks (P<0.05). T2-TRs of the respective discs were on average 73% of the control discs (P<0.05). Discs with full-thickness annular lesions showed increased ADC values 4 weeks and reduced ADC values 8 weeks after the operation, compared to control discs (P<0.05). Biochemical analysis showed changes consistent with early degeneration. Conclusion: Early traumatic or degenerative changes are detectable with both T2-TR and ADC. The ADC in the early phase after experimental trauma seems to initially increase before decreasing.

Background: Intra-abdominal vascular injuries are rare during posterior lumbar spinal surgery, but they can result in major morbidity or mortality when they do occur. We are aware of no prior studies that have used prone patient positioning during magnetic resonance Imaging for the purpose of...

Background: MRI has proven to be an extremely valuable tool in the assessment of normal and pathological spinal anatomy. Accordingly, it is commonly used to assess containment of discal material by the outer fibers of the anulus fibrosus and posterior longitudinal ligaments. Determination of...

Reviews traditional views regarding the lumbar intervertebral disks's (IVD) role in low back pain and lower-extremity radioculopathy and compares them with in vivo findings based on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging. Structure of lumbar IVD; Findings of lumbar IVD abnormalities in people with...

The article discusses low back pain (LBP) in the context of annular fibrosus tears and high-signal-intensity zones (HIZ). Research on HIZ, the mucoid or fluid material from the nucleus pulposus that fill each annular tear, is discussed. The sensitivity of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in...

The article focuses on hyperintense vertebral lesions in degenerative spinal disease. Hyperintensities such as osteophytes of the vertebral bodies can be seen by diagnostic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and the MR protocols of fat-saturation and post-contrast weighted images. Making a...

The article discusses issues related to the diagnostic imaging of degenerative-dystrophic damages of intervertebral discs. Distinguishing age-related changes related to pathological degeneration of discs leading to neural compression is cited as the main objective of diagnostics. The advantages...

Background: A variety of diagnostic imaging techniques is available for excluding or confirming chronic osteomyelitis. Until now, an evidence-based algorithmic model for choosing the most suitable imaging technique has been lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of...

Degenerative disc disease has been implicated as a major component of spine pathology. The current major clinical procedures for treating disc degeneration have been disappointing, because of altered spinal mechanics leading to subsequent degeneration at adjacent disc levels. Disc pathology...